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Thursday, March 11, 2010

The Best Laid Schemes...

That was my ride Thursday. Not that it was fraught with grief and pain, but it certainly didn't fall out as I had planned.

I was fitting in a ride between a 3/4 day at the office and an appointment to introduce Dave to Kipp, so that Kipp could work on Dave's bike. I wanted to summit Mt. Diablo, and needed 3 hours to do it. The 3/4 day turned into the whole shebang including finishing a half dug trench (some employees haven't heard the last of this one!) on a job in Walnut Creek, and before I knew it I was an hour late for my ride, sporting a new blister, and still trying to get home.

So I hit the road anyway and made for the mountain as planned knowing I might not get past 1000' if I even made it that far. On the way, a long stoplight convinced me to make the ever tempting right hand turn to keep my rhythm and sent me on a detour that just wouldn't quit. I corrected my course by turning left and then left again, but found the road didn't go through and pushed on through Pleasant Hill neighborhoods. I wandered several miles at nearly 20 miles an hour till I came across one of the many canal trails and succumbed to the temptation - no stoplights. This should have taken me all the way to the final stretch before the climb, but of course the trail was closed for repairs just as I was entering Walnut Creek. Back on the road - not even trying for the mountain now.

One of many redlights I chanced upon

I then wandered toward the very popular Danville Blvd. where one can find dozens of cyclists at all times of the day. On the way there I turned right on Arlene - the cut through to South Main St. - right? Nope. With great charisma I tore around this circle like I belonged there, got back on Lilac, and kept looking for the correct right turn. Danville Blvd. is a long stretch of road with wide shoulders and relatively affluent commuters. But it's flat. It climbs maybe 20 - 50 feet per mile as it stretches to the south. This was no good, as I was really supposed to be climbing, so guilt forced me left at Livorna Rd. I climbed Livorna, realized I was now going to be late, and enjoyed the descent back down.

I took the most direct route I could think of to get to Kipp's house, knowing it was not likely the most direct route. Even then a series of phone calls left me propped against my bike on the side of the road eying the clock. I soon found myself on South Main in the heart of Walnut Creek (the result of another elective detour as a result of another long light) monitoring a red light at the front of a line of cars. Motivated by passing shoppers and the relative low speed limit, I left the light as if entering the Champs elysees on a warm day in July. I sped ahead of the entire line of cars for several blocks, to the cheers and applause of the crowd. Stymied and awakened by another red light, I glanced over my shoulder to gloat in the face of the vanquished - and realized that they were, in anticlimactic fashion, all still sitting several blocks back behind that first car trying to turn left.

I was late to meet the guys, but that was no surprise. I had a young cyclist pick up my draft on the final stretch, which again elicited a short burst of adrenaline. He was pretty strong and I wasn't going to drop him. We chatted at a couple of stop lights, and may be able to connect again for a ride in the future.

The only thing that really went as planned, was that Dave got a new wheel and much needed tuneup on the bike. And, I got in a ride. Not the climbing I had intended but 30 plus miles nonetheless.

1 comment:

Ahh--kind of like life in general. We plan for all to go as planned and then God steps into the picture and says, "Today you will do (fill in the blank)" and sometimes it changes your day and sometimes your life. Sometimes it is character shaping, like learning to respond graciously rather than being perturbed. And hopefully it changes us for the better---better, being more conformed to the image of His Son. These accounts always give me much to ponder. I guess God uses them to work on me---there is much work yet to be done on this piece of clay.

Followers

A Winding Path

MTB Lakeport

My buddy (2nd best friend) Jeremy and I before riding Boggs Mtn.

Swintonism - defined

A Swintonism is the unintended use of Metaphor, Cliche, or other figure of speech in casual conversation, directly, and ironically coinciding with an immediately previous line of conversation or event. (This is not a pun, as puns are intentionally contrived for the humor of the listener. Per the definition, the Swintonism is unintentional)

Recent Swintonisms

---- Following is the response from my business partner after viewing the Death Ride website. "Sounds like a killer ride." Hmmm? Seemed a little obvious, but he claims it was a legit Swintonism.

---- In discussing the cost benefit of renting vs. buying another power washer, an employee stated that the benefit was on the side of purchasing, since the cost even on the first project "would be a wash." He would have liked to take credit for the pun - but we wouldn't let him. A Swintonism it was.

---- Via text message - "Vince bailed out." This was my report to another rider that Vince had decided not to ride because of torrential rains. I did not realize the play on words till it was already out.

---- In an email from a co-hiker, recapping her account of the roadside fire, witnessed by us one evening after hiking / jogging in Briones. (Which also had a significant role in my 5 week bout with Poison Oak) "I'm warming up to the night hiking"